The defender, 25, suffered a hamstring injury in training at the beginning of March but has stepped up his recovery in the last week with a run out for the club's Under-21 side on Monday.

And now the former Crewe player is hoping to get a chance to feature before the end of the season.

He told the club's Rams Player: "When I first suffered the injury, I thought my season was over.

"But I think that was the worst case scenario and I have put the work in since then to try and get back as quickly as I can.

"It all stemmed from a block in training, one you do 100 times and nothing comes of it.

"I just felt something in the back of my leg. I went to get it scanned and it wasn't the best news I could have had.

"I knew I had to get my head around it and I just tried to put the work in with the medical and fitness staff, who have been great with me, and the timescale of the injury soon dropped down.

"I was back training on Friday to get the heart rate going again, then I got some minutes under my belt against Coventry, so hopefully I can train for the rest of the week then see where we stand from there."

ood grief. Someone guessed that the form English player at the moment might be in his national side with some other players? And that's espionage? Now if they discovered that Emile Heskey was going to be in the starting line up.... at right back.... THAT would be espionage. Give it a rest Roy.